Keeping Reading Culture Alive Is the Need of the Hour for Society’s Creativity and Intellectual Growth: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis

CM inaugurates ‘Pune Book Festival’

Pune : Keeping the culture of reading alive is essential not only to foster creativity and intellectual growth in society but also to preserve social values. To achieve this, organizing book festivals like this is crucial. This festival should not be limited to Pune but extended throughout Maharashtra, and the government will always stand in support of such efforts, assured Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The Chief Minister was speaking at the inauguration of the ‘Pune Book Festival’ organized by the National Book Trust at the Fergusson College grounds. The event was graced by the presence of Member of Parliament Medha Kulkarni, MLAs Chandrakant (Dada) Patil, Bhimrao Tapkir, Siddharth Shirole, Amit Gorkhe, Hemant Rasane, Shankar Jagtap, Madhuri Misal, Pune Municipal Commissioner Dr. Rajendra Bhosale, Vice-Chancellor of Savitribai Phule Pune University Dr. Suresh Gosavi, Trustee of Siddhivinayak Temple Trust Acharya Pawan Tripathi, and others.

CM Fadnavis highlighted the timeless importance of books in history, referencing the vast repository of knowledge in Nalanda University during the 6th century. He recalled how the university studied various disciplines before Bakhtiyar Khilji attacked and set its library on fire, burning the manuscripts for three months.

He further stated that India’s bond with books is ancient and enduring. Indian culture is one of the oldest in the world and has survived while others have faded away. Indian tradition teaches us to embrace knowledge from all directions, cementing our connection with books and learning.

Even in the digital era, books and their wisdom will continue to thrive. Technology has made books accessible in multiple languages, broadening the horizons of knowledge. Protecting the culture of reading is a collective responsibility, Fadnavis said. He also emphasized the need to preserve Marathi, now recognized as a classical language, and urged everyone to contribute to its enrichment.

The Chief Minister visited various stalls at the exhibition, interacting with publishers, printers, and students. Former President of the All India Marathi Sahitya Sammelan, poet Aruna Dhere, National Book Trust Chairman Milind Marathe, and Colonel Yuvraj Malik also shared their thoughts during the event. The organizer of the festival, Rajesh Pandey, delivered the introductory speech.

During the program, Pune Municipal Commissioner Dr. Rajendra Bhosale handed over a letter confirming the allocation of land for the National Book Trust’s Pune office. The event witnessed participation from literature enthusiasts, school students, publishers, and printers.